James Ahern Papers MS-0058

Special Collections & University Archives
11/04/2010
5500 Campanile Dr. MC 8050
San Diego, CA 92182-8050
askscua@sdsu.edu


Contributing Institution: Special Collections & University Archives
Title: James Ahern Papers
Creator: Ahern, James Thomas
Identifier/Call Number: MS-0058
Physical Description: 3.42 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1975-1988
Language of Material: English .

Scope and Contents

The James Ahern Papers document James Ahern's research and writing process as he worked on a book about John Bankhead Magruder (1807-1871), a lieutenant-colonel in the Mexican-American War, general in the Provisional Confederate Army during the US Civil War, and general in the Imperial Mexican Army.  Ahern's research covered the full span of Magruder's life including his birth and early life in Virginia, his years fighting in the Mexican-American War in Florida, his years on frontier duty in California and Kansas, his role in the Battle of Yorktown, the Seven Days Battles, and the Battle of Galveston as a Confederate general during the US Civil War, and his later years in Mexico.   The collection consists of research material including photocopies of  manuscripts on deposit in numerous repositories as well as notes and index cards compiled by Ahern throughout his research.  Also included is Ahern's unpublished manuscript about Macgruder, which is broken into chapters and filed with supporting research material.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The copyright interests in these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections is such that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine.  Requests for permission to publish must be submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.

Source of Acquisition

Linda Ahern

Preferred Citation

Identification of item, folder title, box number, James Ahern Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, San Diego State University Library.

Biographical Note

James Ahern was a criminal investigator for the San Diego County District Attorney's Office. While researching the background of the District Attorney's Office, he ran across some information about John B. Magruder, a Confederate general during the US Civil War. Magruder fascinated Ahern, who was initially interested in his exploits around San Diego, where he served on frontier duty prior to the outbreak of the Civil War.
Ahern ultimately decided to write a biography for Magruder which covered his entire life, from his birth in Port Royal, Virginia in 1807 to his death in Houston, Texas in 1871. He completed his notes and planned to write the biography following his retirement in January of 1988. He passed away on February 9th of that year, and so the book was never completed.

Accruals

1988-001

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Mexican-American War, 1846-1848
Seven Days' Battles, 1862
Organizational Records
Personal Papers
Confederate States of America. Army. Trans-Mississippi Dept.
Magruder, John Bankhead, 1807-1871
Maximilian, Emperor of Mexico, 1832-1867

box 1, folder 1

Allegations/Lincoln-Sumner Folder 1

box 1, folder 2

Correspondence Folder 2

box 1, folder 3

In Los Angeles Folder 3

box 1, folder 4

Big Bethel and Hampton, VA Folder 4

box 1, folder 5

Lee, Robert E. Folder 5

box 1, folder 6

Jackson, Lieutenant General T.J. Folder 6

box 1, folder 7

The Seven Days Folder 7

box 1, folder 8

The Peninsular Campaign Folder 8

box 1, folder 9

The Peninsular Campaign Folder 9

box 2, folder 1

The Peninsular Campaign Folder 1

box 2, folder 2

The Peninsular Campaign Folder 2

box 2, folder 3

The Peninsular Campaign Folder 3

box 2, folder 4

At Newport, Rhode Island Folder 4

box 2, folder 5

Brent, J. Lancaster/Fort Tegon/Military-General Folder 5

box 2, folder 6

Craig, Lieutenant Colonel Lewis Folder 6

box 2, folder 7

Biographical Folder 7

box 3, folder 1

Biographical Folder 1

box 3, folder 2

Friends and Associates Folder 2

box 3, folder 3

At West Point Folder 3

box 3, folder 4

In San Diego Folder 4

box 3, folder 5

Trans-Mississippi Folder 5

box 4, folder 1

War with Mexico Folder 1

box 4, folder 2

Trans-Mississippi (Correspondence) Folder 2

box 4, folder 3

Trans-Mississippi (Correspondence) Folder 3

box 4, folder 4

Biographical Folder 4

box 4, folder 5

News Papers Folder 5

box 4, folder 6

Trans-Mississippi Folder 6

box 5, folder 1

Trans-Mississippi Folder 1

box 5, folder 2

Trans-Mississippi Folder 2

box 5, folder 3

Fort Jurupa Folder 3

box 5, folder 4

At Fort Leavenworth Folder 4

box 5, folder 5

In Washington Folder 5

box 5, folder 6

Monitor and Merrimack Folder 6

box 5, folder 7

Sabine Pass/Dowling Folder 7

box 5, folder 8

In Mexico after Civil War with Maximillian Folder 8

box 5, folder 9

Association with Quantrill Folder 9

box 5, folder 10

Trans-Mississippi Folder 10

box 5, folder 11

Notes Folder 11

box 6, folder 1

Diaries and Correspondence Folder 1

box 6, folder 2

Diaries and Correspondence Folder 2

box 6, folder 3

Diaries and Correspondence Folder 3

box 6, folder 4

Library and Historical Society Resources Folder 4

box 6, folder 5

In San Diego Folder 5

box 6, folder 6

General Sources and Contextual Research Folder 6